(24) 



JACK IN A CHURCH. 



" Some of you fellows are looking snoozy," said a "wide awake" 

 member, addressing the w.itch one night. " What say ye to a yarn ?" 



" That's right, Bob," cried two or three, starting up. "Let's have[it !" 



" It shan't be a doleful one, because we've runned out our grog — and 

 watery stories, d'ye see ! require a dash of the spirits, — ha ! ha ! that's 

 good, arnt it ?" " Humph ! — tol'rable !" 



"And it shan't be false, 'cause then, you see again, you can't place no 

 dependance on it. I likes a story that when you're telling it again, you 

 can say, 'I'm hanged if it aint as true as the Bible!' Then people 

 can't shake no heads at ye, or if they do you may blow 'cm up for it with 

 a good conscience. But this, boys, is as true as you're all sitting there, 

 so when you're paying it out again, you may all say that you've seen it 

 yourselves ; and I'll be bail for your 'debility." 



" Well, you've heard what things the Killease,* 40, did in the West 

 Ingy seas, and what a set o' stiff fellers she had aboard her. I know'd a 

 few on 'em in difl"rent places, and was once half inclined to sarve aboard 

 her myself; only at the time I wanted, I was sarving in the Andrewi" 

 Maakie, one of the crack thirty-sixes, and had a skipper what I didn't 

 want to part company with, — 'tall events, as I said afore, I know'd a few 

 on her men, and jolly fellers they were too — capital hands at the grog, 

 and as glib at a yarn, long or short, taught or brightish, sad or merry, 

 true or 'poeryph.al, as ever you'd wish to see. I'll tell you how I got 

 'cjuainted with Joe Fisher, who was one of the best among 'em. It was 

 at Falmouth, and I was in a public-house, witli a pipe in my bow port, 

 and a pot o' beer afore me, sittivated in one of the inshore reaches. 

 There was a good many coasting crafts, and unregular navigators, brought 

 to an anchor about, and amongst 'em was Joe : he and I, you must know, 

 was the only thorough-breds in the place. Well ! I didn't know 

 nothing of Joe then, in course, and though I could see he was a true 'un' — 

 and he must have made me out to be the same — we hadn't as yet hailed 

 each other. Well ! I, and some of the long-shore coveys, got into con- 

 wersation, and starting some perfessional subjects, at last, into summat 

 like a little breeze. The fellers hadn't no right to dispute the 'pinion, 

 certainly, of a man of wars' man ; but, howsomever, they did, and afore 

 I know'd where I was, or into what latitude I'd got, I found myself carry- 

 ing on like the devil, in a stiffish running fight, with a couple of blazers 

 ahead, and some small craft in each bow. Thei/ jawed, and /jawed, till 

 their woise nearly runned me down ; for four at one, you know, wasn't 

 fair plav ; and I was just thinking of hauling off out of the smoke, when 

 up shot Joe Fisher on my starboard quarter, and beginned thundering 

 away on mv side. I directly gathered fresh heart, and remanning my 

 guns, peppered away on two of the coveys on my starboard beam, while 



* Achilles. 1' Andromache. 



